These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness or death

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How does Turner’s portrayal of twenty years in Sarah’s life aim to capture the essence of growing up in the American frontier?

2. These Is My Words takes the form of a diary, with entries that evolve in grammar and sophistication as Sarah educates herself. How did the diary format affect your reading experience compared to other historical novels like Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series? What strengths or limitations did this narrative choice create?

3. What elements of Sarah’s character development surprised you most as she transformed from an uneducated girl to a woman who passed her 12th-grade exam?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Sarah frequently aspires to be more “ladylike” like Savannah, yet her natural strength and independence serve her well on the frontier. Have you ever felt torn between societal expectations and your authentic nature? How did you navigate this tension?

2. Which books have been as transformative in your own life as Sarah’s wagon of books was to her?

3. How does Sarah’s experience of grief throughout the novel compare to ways you’ve processed loss in your own life?

4. What parallels can you draw between Sarah’s struggle to accept Jack’s military absences and conflicts you’ve experienced in your own relationships?

5. When Sarah realizes “Wisdom is not a path, it is a tree,” she understands that education extends beyond formal schooling. What experiences outside traditional education have been most valuable in your own development?

6. Sarah gradually learns to trust her own judgment rather than relying on books like The Happy Bride for guidance about womanhood and marriage. What pivotal experiences helped you trust your own instincts over external advice?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes. 

1. The novel portrays white settlement of the American West during the late 19th century, including conflicts with Indigenous peoples. How does Turner’s portrayal of these conflicts reflect or challenge contemporary understandings of this historical period?

2. Gender roles are clearly defined in Sarah’s world, yet she frequently crosses traditional boundaries by hunting, managing a ranch, and defending her family with weapons. What does the novel reveal about the flexibility of gender norms during this historical period?

3. In what ways does Sarah’s story capture America’s transition from a frontier society to a modern one?

Examine technical and thematic elements.

1. Sarah’s voice evolves dramatically over the course of the novel, from ungrammatical diary entries to sophisticated reflections. How does this evolution in language reflect broader changes in her character and circumstances?

2. What do Sarah’s contrasting marriages with Jimmy Reed and Jack Elliot reveal about different aspects of her character?

3. In what ways does Sarah’s evolving relationship with books symbolize her larger journey from girlhood to maturity?

4. The distinction between bravery and courage is a central theme, with Jack representing instinctive bravery and Sarah embodying considered courage. What does this contrast reveal about their relationship?

5. Turner’s portrayal of life in the Arizona Territory shares similarities with Willa Cather’s depictions of frontier life in novels like My Ántonia. How do these works differently approach themes of female strength, adaptation to harsh environments, and the development of community?

6. Throughout the novel, Sarah’s relationship with physical spaces evolves from her attachment to the ranch to her eventual adaptation to town life in Tucson. What does this evolution reveal about her changing identity and priorities?

Encourage imaginative interaction with the text.

1. What aspects of modern life would most surprise or challenge Sarah Prine if she were transported to the present day?

2. Imagine you could add one more diary entry to the novel, set five years after its conclusion. What would Sarah write about, and how would her voice and concerns have evolved?

3. What physical object would you create to represent Sarah’s journey, and how would it incorporate the novel’s key symbols of books, horses, and wagons?

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